Going Organic - Part 7

Pumpkins

Since pumpkin seeds are easy to source (you can use the large, well-formed seeds from market-bought pumpkins), I decided that pumpkins would be a summer staple in our kitchen garden. We had planted pumpkins last year as well but that had only yielded a few flowers back then.

We added some compost and other minerals to the soil, and replanted fresh seeds this summer. To ensure maximum chances of getting healthy plants, I used a mix of seeds from different batches. We soon got three healthy plants that grew well. But the old problem surfaced - only male flowers showed up.

A male flower and a tiny pumpkin

After the rains (that went overboard this year), all the pumpkin plants showed a growth spurt. So fast were they spreading that the hubby uprooted one plant. One died in the strong sun that followed the rains.

Now we had little hope of getting any pumpkins, but were happy with the huge produce of flowers from the single remaining plant. Every day we would diligently pluck them, even distributing some to neighbours and helpers.

Till one day, a couple of female flowers finally showed up! Then there was no looking back.... The bees arrived as if by magic, timely pollinating the female flowers. And our single plant produced four pumpkins within a month.

Pumpkin hanging with support from okra plants

The sturdy okra plants provided perfect support to the pumpkin vine, helping it reach up to the sun. We had to create a hammock for the largest hanging fruit, and keep the pumpkins covered to protect them from fruit flies. 

Pumpkins ripening on a sunny window sill

We harvested the pumpkins around Halloween, and then dried them in a window sill that received direct sunlight. The pumpkins turned out a lovely bright orange from inside, and were delicious in taste.

If you are interested in more content related to organic farming, do check out this YouTube channel for some detailed videos.

Surviving A Flash Flood

The Flood

After an unusually cool summer this year, the second half of June and early July turned out to be incredibly hot and humid. The rains usually arrive by June-end but this year the heat was relentless. Till suddenly in mid-July the skies opened up, and how.

On the morning of 19 July, we woke up to swirling waters outside our doors. The lightning and thunder had started the previous night, and it started pouring by 4am. But since it was dark outside, one didn't realise the quantity of rain that was falling. By 7am the water started entering our house - from under the doors, and from all the piping outlets. The rain fell incessantly, sometimes heavy followed by light spells. 

We rushed to remove whatever little we could from the watery onslaught - groceries in cartons, cane furniture, cartons full of books and stationery, floor mats and rugs. Bewildered by the ankle-deep water all over the house, we just sat pondering what hit us. Nobody wanted breakfast even; the worry had killed our appetite. As did the dysfunctional toilets.

Thankfully the authorities had the good sense to switch off the power otherwise electrocutions would have been imminent. The RWA managed to get a pump running by the afternoon that ensured that water levels receded somewhat by the evening. 

Endless rounds of pushing out the water from our rooms using wipers resulted in backaches. Cooked food available in the fridge was a big saving grace. 

The rain stopped by the evening. Electricity was restored around 9pm after the authorities checked each junction to rule out the possibility of short circuits.

The Aftermath

Dampness

Most of the water was gone by the next day after many rounds of thorough cleaning. But one bedroom had a faulty floor levelling, and the accumulated water just stayed put in the corners and middle for a couple of days.

Smell

Floodwaters carry a typical odour, something we discovered when the smell of dampness lingered for days. This despite our trying all forms of ventilation and perfumery to give our olfactory senses some relief.

Spoilage

Stored pulses that had been timely pulled out of harm's way still developed a lot of infestation. Even after the skies had cleared and the sun was out.

Termites

Possibly the worst outcome of the flash flood was a termite attack, both on our mango tree and in the kitchen. The tree is eventually dying, with very little chance of a revival despite our best efforts at containing the termites. Meanwhile, an entire cupboard of the kitchen had to be cleaned out, and yet the termites seem to be spreading to adjoining cupboards.

Climate change is real, and right here! Even our own homes are no longer a safe haven. Time to clean up our act or get swept away...

The Kitchen Corner

Last year around this time I decided to set up a workspace for myself. For that, I required the garden table to be placed in my bedroom. So I decided to shift all the green goodies on it to a new place to free up the said table. The corner outside the kitchen window was most appropriate since a fabricated structure was already in place.

I found a stone slab of approximately matching dimensions and placed it on the fabricated iron cage. Then I arranged my plants, the log of wood and the old letter box on it.... and voila! there was some more green added to the backyard.

Over a period of time, I moved around some of the things to give the place a fresh look. These small planters also substituted to add the touch of green to my bathroom.

The old letter box cleverly hides some leftover painting materials like sandpaper and brushes. And the flowers bring in the much-needed occasional bursts of colour.

Summer Sunsets

 

One month and so many beauteous sunsets! 

01 June 2021

04 June 2021

Yes, since June is the month of the summer solstice and has the longest days, we witnessed some colourful sunsets from our backyard.

06 June 2021

07 June 2021

And random floating clouds only added to the charm of the summer sunsets.

13 June 2021

14 June 2021

As though someone was spilling colour on the celestial canvas from up there.

24 June 2021

26 June 2021

As lockdown fatigue got very real, these little joys brought in some bright sparks.

26 June 2021

27 June 2021

Can't wait for the pandemic to blow over soon, and at least some degree of normalcy to resume so one can at least step out at will. 

29 June 2021

In this month of glorious sunsets, I'm wishing for a new sunrise!

Coolest Summer Ever

 

This year we are having the coolest summer in some seven decades! Logistics apart, there have been just a few hot days yet, and the frequent showers are mostly welcome (be it for cyclones Tauktae and Yaas, or the western disturbances). So here's capturing this cool summer in pictures for posterity.

Rainy skies brought gorgeous sunsets...

And a profusion of flowers and mangoes!

Our annual kitten litter also arrived.... all brownies this time.

The backyard turned visibly greener...

And the pumpkin flowers stole the show...

But nothing could beat the bumper mango crop after a two year wait - 4 baskets full and more! Must easily be a 5kg harvest. 

As each of us took turns to pluck some, I am hoping these memories and pictures will stay timeless.

Going Organic - Part 6

Since last year we have tried focussing on growing the basics - potatoes, onions and tomatoes. This post recounts our experiences with each of these.

Potatoes

The first time we tried growing these in a large, deep pot. The plants were healthy and there were flowers too. But the plants started withering right after. So we were hopeful that the crop may be developing. But when we dug in, there was nothing.

This year we decided to plant directly in soil in our kitchen garden patch. And after a point, we kind of forgot about the plants. In fact, we didn't even see any flowers this time. Till they all dried up and the husband went to uproot them and clear out the patch. And wonder of wonders, a lovely crop of baby potatoes was harvested!

Surely the best Mother's Day gift came from the father. 

Onions

Planted an onion directly in soil in early winter, and throughout the season it gave healthy greens. I used the greens to make parathas and vegetables. Towards the end of the season, a couple of florets were formed and again, once they started withering I dug up the soil but no onions there. 

Probably we made the same mistake with both potatoes and onions - losing patience and digging up too soon.

Tomatoes

Last winter the husband ordered and planted a whole packet of tomato seeds. Lots of plants showed up, but it was difficult to maintain their scraggly growth. Tomatoes need to be tied firmly or else placed within a support structure. Mealy bugs were the other problem area, and required careful monitoring and frequent spraying with a mixture of neem oil, detergent and water.

Our efforts finally paid off and we did get to harvest some tomatoes. Though the regular-sized ones threw more tantrums and gave lesser output, while the cherry tomatoes came in bunches and were delicious. So a rewarding experience on the whole!

Lily Season

 

April onwards is Lily season and this year, after a long gap, we had quite a bounty. The lilies usually follow a pattern, starting with the red amaryllis around the Easter weekend. But this year the pretty peach lilies daintily outdid the sturdy bright amaryllis.

Starting out first, they blossomed right through April and well on to May. The red amaryllis showed up a couple of days after Easter, and I sorely missed the white ones.

And that brings me to the yellow May lilies that also arrived early and gave a bumper crop, making up for all the missed years in between. Pity they only bloom one at a time.

Hope this lily bounty repeats itself every year. In the meanwhile, I'll have to search for the missing white amaryllis.

Front Garden - Progress In Pictures

Sometimes pictures speak louder than words. Here's a glimpse of how the front garden has changed and shaped up over the past 3 years.

2019

2020

2021

I'm not complaining; the bushes and leafy greens have moved to the edge of the fence, leaving the front clear for shorter shrubs and flowers. Just the way we wanted!

Revisiting Najafgarh Lake

 

This year January saw exceptional rainfall in North India. As a result, most water bodies were full or overflowing. The newspapers claimed that the excess water and longer winter season had attracted thrice the number of migratory birds. So we decided to visit our secret birdwatching destination again. 

Only this year we went in January instead of the February visit we had made last year. What a sea-change we saw! The marshes we had traipsed through last year to reach the Najafgarh lake were all submerged. 

There was flowing water everywhere.... so much that reversing the car out from the narrow road between the fields was no less than an adventure.

An aggrieved farmer whose fields had gone under water shared his story with us. About how the lake overflows its banks every year, damaging crops and destroying agricultural livelihoods. Whatever he said was right before our eyes to see. 

January 2021

Last year we had walked right past, and way beyond, that little outhouse you see in the picture above. To compare better, I have included a shot from our last year's trip below. In last year's picture, see how far in we had parked the car, and then walked all the way to the other side of the outhouse before reaching the lake shore.

February 2020

Coming back home and reading up more on the Sahibi river, and how it affects the Najafgarh lake, one learnt more about interesting aspects related to the history of the region. 

And yes, the migratory birds were not as visible this year because they were far out, and so were difficult to capture on camera. 

More Spring Hues

 

Even though day temperatures are touching beyond 30 degrees (centigrade), areas of our garden are still lighting up with fresh bursts of colour. 

Poppies on the wall

Phloxes are butterfly magnets - a lime swallowtail here

This blue pimpernel showed up by itself

Deep yellow Chinese marigolds

We even got a rare hybrid poppy with multiple petals (instead of the usual five petal variety).

Meanwhile, the mango tree has surprised us with its burst of flowers. Hope that leads to a bumper crop in the summer.

A flowering semul (silk cotton) tree in the neighborhood....

It is a delight to revel in these last few days of blossoming spring before the oppressive heat takes over and renders everything dry.

Snapshots Of Spring 2021

 

Though each new year starts with some dull grey winter days, 2021 was especially dreary because it rained for an entire week. 

We chose to deal with that by cozying up in our woollies and catching up on some long-pending movies. Come February, it felt a bit like spring so here are some snapshots from the garden.

Larkspurs

Marigolds

Ice plants

Kalanchoes

Spring barely lasted this year; the days got warm too soon while the mornings and nights remained chilly. Not the best conditions for good flowering but we still managed to have a good combination of colours and varieties.

Phlox

Poppies, African Daisies and Roses

Petunia and Bougainvillea

The white rose bush that frames the corner of the garden is full of blooms again, and has a new neighbour in the finally flowering creeper rose. 

Yes, it is that time of the year again when I want to be in the garden all day. But alas, it lasts for too short a while before the summer heat picks up.